Wooden column.



G. B. KYLE.

WOODEN COLUMN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1911.

1,000,822. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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GEORGE B. KYLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WOODEN COLUMN.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

Application filed February 17, 1911. Serial No. 609,144.

1 0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. KYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wooden Columns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to columns for use in building construction and more particu lai'ly to wooden columns for porches, portecocheres, balconies and the like, and has for an object to provide a column wherein dampness and weather conditions generally do not affect the wood to cause shrinkage and separation of the joints of the several parts of the column.

In wooden columns as heretofore constructed exposure to the weather causes a warping and shrinking of the sections of the column and they sooner or later become so misshapen as to necessitate their replacement. I am aware that it has heretofore been proposed to form columns tapering from the base toward the top and supplying rings of metal or like material to retain the sections accurately fitted. In such constructions however it has been found in practice that shrinkage does occur, thereby permitting the rings to shift their positions and consequently a row of columns are seen with the binding rings grotesquely out of line and marring the ornamental effect.

In my invention I have devised a ring structure effective for the purpose intended, namely to retain the sections closely connected together and which permits no shifting of the rings should the sections shrink, warp or otherwise become distorted.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized andthat my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents "a side elevation of a column embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top portion of the column,

State of slightly enlarged. Fig. 3 represents the base of the column similarly enlarged. Fig. 4 represents a section of the top ring. Fig. 5 represents a section of the base ring. Fig. 6 represents a section on line m-w Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings :1 designates the staves or slats forming the body portion of the column, the said slats being vertically disposed, having the side edges thereof finished to form a close joint between the respective staves so that the parts may be accurately glued or otherwise secured together.

3 designates a suitable cap encircling the staves at the top of the column and forming a means to retain them in proper position while an additional block 4 is positioned on top of the cap 3 and secured by spikes 5 or the like, which pass through the block 4 and a suitable distance into each stave whereby the structure is securely fastened together.

6 designates a shoulder formed on the staves and preferably provided with a tapered portion inclined toward the top of the column and forming the support for a binding ring 7 preferably internally beveled and of suitable material, such as metal or the like.

8 designates a base for the column, forming a suitable molding and preferably adapted to abut the lower ends of the staves 1 the said base being positioned upon a base block 9 as will be apparent. Similar spikes 10 or like fastening devices pass upwardly through the block 9 and into the staves and thereby secure the same fixedly at the bottom.

Attention is directedto the fact that each stave'l is provided with a tongue 11, having a tapered portion 12 thereon, forming a suitable shoulder 13, the latter serving as an abutment for a ring member 14. This ring member 14 is preferably provided with an outwardly flared portion 15 forming the interior contact face adapted to conform to the tapered tongue 11 and is also provided with a flange base 8, which latter has asuitable portion embraced by said ring, thus retaining the stave structure accurately in-place at the base. It will be noted that the ring 14 embraces the tongues 11, and extends outwardly and downwardly away from the sides of the column, so that 16 which joins the ring 14 to the abuts the shoulders 13 any moisture of water passing down the sides of the column will be directed away from the joint thereby preventing decay of the wood. It will be apparent that when the staves are secured together by gluing or like means and the rings 7 and 14: properly fitted thereon, that the entire structure is securely clamped together and any tendency to shrinkage causes the upper ring 7 to grip the respective sections 1 more tightly together and owing to the tapered portion 6, the ring 7 does not appreciably move from its origi nal position.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a complete unitary structure well adapted for the purpose intended and by means of which any shrinkage which occurs in the body of the column cannot displace the clamping, but instead has a tendency to make them grip the staves more securely. It will be further noted that the so called shoulder 6 is formed by a reentrant angle whereby a wedging face is formed on each sect-ion of the column and in an assembled position these wedging faces form a continuous wedging face around the column with which the inclined face of the ring 7 cooperates and thus locks all of the'sections together.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, a column comprising a plurality of joined sections and formed with an upwardly beveled shoulder at a distance from its upper end, and a ring having its inner surface beveled to fit and seat upon said shoulder and said ring having such radial cross-sectional dimension as to substantially conceal the dif ference of dimensions of the column above and below the shoulder.

2. In a device of the character stated, a column consisting of a plurality of joined sections and formed with an upwardly beveled shoulder near its upper end, and a ring having a downwardly flaring inner surface and having its smallest interior diameter equal to the diameter of the upper port-ion of the column and said ring being of substantially the same width as said shouldered portion and having such radial cross-sec-' tour, a tongue formed on each section and a.

second ring cooperating with said tongue.

at. In a device of the character stated, a column comprising a plurality of sections, suitably secured together, each section having a beveled port-ion forming a circumferentially shouldered section at a distance from the upper end, and a ring having its inner surface of corresponding bevel to fit and seat upon said shouldered section, said ring being of substantially the same width as said shouldered section, so that the latter is concealed and serves to hold said ring at all times at a predetermined point and said ring having such radial cross-sectional dimension as to substantially conceal the difference of dimensions of the column above and below the shoulder,

5. In a'device of the character stated, a

column comprising a plurality of sections suitably secured together each section having a tongue on the lower end thereof forming a shoulder and a ring embracing said tongues, abutting said shoulders and extending outwardly beyond and downwardly away from the sides of said sections.

6. In a device of the column comprising a plurality of sections suitably secured together, a tongue formed on the lower end of each of said sections and having an inclined face, a ring having an internal face partially beveled to conform to the inclined face of said tongues and the remaining portion of said face be ing cylindrical, a base for said column, and an extension on'said base adapted to be embraced by' said ring and engage said cylindrical face thereof,

' GEORGE B. KYLE.

Vitnesses:

C. D. MOVAY, F. A. NEWTON.

characted stated, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

